Blind joint maximum likelihood channel estimation and data detection for single-input multiple-output systems

A blind adaptive scheme is proposed for joint maximum likelihood (ML) channel estimation and data detection of single-input multiple-output (SIMO) systems. The joint ML optimization of the channel and data estimation is decomposed into an iterative optimization loop. An efficient global optimization algorithm termed as the repeated weighted boosting aided search is employed first to identify the unknown SIMO channel model, and then the Viterbi algorithm is used for the maximum likelihood sequence estimation of the unknown data sequence. A simulation example is used for demonstrating the efficiency of this joint ML optimization scheme designed for blind adaptive SIMO systems

Broadcast TV Brands Facing Digital Transformation : Case Study of MTV

During the past decade, television as a medium has gone through a massive process of digitalization. The transformation process has resulted in broadcasters re-examining their value chains including business models, content production and distribution to its relationship with the audience. As the business is evolving, arises the need to update and analyze the current brand strategies as part of the digital transformation process. Consequently, the purpose of this research was to explore and analyse the evolving role of the channel brand in consumer’s content choice. The purpose was addressed through two research questions. First, what kind of influence do the channel brands today have to consumers associations of content? Second, how does the role of the brand differ between linear tv channels and digital online services? To address the research purpose, two relevant theoretical literature streams are addressed. First, previous literature on media transformation and second, literature on two models of brand building and marketing; the consumer-based brand equity model and the house of brands vs. branded house – model for brand portfolio analysis. The method used for the research was a case study, which was conducted in cooperation with MTV in Finland. The case study consisted of four interviews of MTV managers, as well as a consumer survey. The interviews characterise not only the changes in MTV’s value chain and strategy, but also argue why the research topic is relevant. The shift from traditional channels to digital platforms is accelerating, and the content and channels will be affected also in the future. The key findings of the survey indicate, that the channel brand does influence the consumers’ perception of promoted content. The overall interest towards the content is influenced most. Strong brands with high brand equity can increase the overall interest of the content. Results also showed variance in how the audience sees the content in terms of given attributes. As previous brand research has proven, brands influenced to aspects of quality and relevance. Regarding the trend of the transformation and future development, the differences between the roles of the linear and digital channels were analyzed with differences in results. There are some indications that the role of a channel might be evolving, when tv consumption moves to digital platforms, that serve more as libraries than on a scheduled broadcast basis. The linear brands influenced the consumers’ opinion more than the digital brands. When reflecting on brand portfolio theories, some findings on survey results indicate, that branding the portfolio around the original core brand (MTV3 in the tested case), might add value to the portfolio. Having multiple brands with different levels of brand equity can hold risk in terms of cost and consumers’ attention. The findings support the recent research and literature on audience fragmentation and the power shift from the brand to the consumer. The study recommends further research on the topic, especially on the evolving role of the channel brand, when moving content viewing to digital platforms. Results would help media managers to evaluate, structure and prioritise their brand portfolio in a competed and complex media environment

Agriculture News Release - 1993-03-10c

https://scholarworks.utrgv.edu/kikadelagarzaagriculturecomitteenews/1058/thumbnail.jp

Energization pf polar-cusp electrons at the noon meridian

Observations gained with an electrostatic analyzer on board the low altitude, polar orbiting Aeriel 4 satellite demonstrate that the directional, differential spectra of polar-cusp electron intensities are regulated by the sign of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) elevation angle. In the energy range 200 is approximately less than E is approximately less than 700 eV, spectra of polar cusp electron intensities were not observed to respond to changes in the sign of the IMF elevation angle. At greater densities, spectra were found to be significantly harder when the IMF angle of elevation was greater than 0 deg, with a factor of approximately 10 typical for 2-keV electron intensities. These enhanced intensities appear to be localized within approximately a one hour sector of magnetic local time centered on the noon meridian

Greening through schooling:Understanding the link between education and pro-environmental behavior in the Philippines

In recent years, changing lifestyle, consumption and mobility patterns have contributed to a global rise in greenhouse gases responsible for the warming of the planet. Despite its increasing relevance, there is a lack of understanding of factors influencing the environmental behavior of people from emerging economies. In this study, we focus on the role of formal education for pro-environmental behavior in the Philippines and study three potentially underlying mechanisms explaining the education effects: differential knowledge about climate change, risk perceptions, and awareness. Whilst there is some evidence showing that education is associated with pro-environmental behavior, little is known about the actual mechanisms through which it influences decision-making. Using propensity score methods, we find that an additional year of schooling significantly increases the probability of pro-environmental actions, e.g. planting trees, recycling, and proper waste management, by 3.3%. Further decomposing the education effects, it is found that education influences behavior mainly by increasing awareness about the anthropogenic causes of climate change, which may consequently affect the perception of self-efficacy in reducing human impacts on the environment. Knowledge and perceptions about climate risks also explain the education effect on pro-environmental behavior, but to a lesser extent

Demographic Strengthening of European Identity

The European Union is currently undergoing a major crisis within its institutions. Many observers think the EU is doomed, particularly in view of the current refugee situation, when in many countries the national agenda overrides the European project and the aggregate result is widely perceived as a failure of European-level governance. This skepticism is heightened by the UK referendum on continued EU membership. But few of these observers, focused on short-term political developments and crises, offer any long-term view of the alternatives. Is it realistic to return to the old system of nation states with closed borders and individual currencies? And does a majority of the European population want such an outcome

Landau-Ginzburg String Vacua

We investigate a class of (2,2) supersymmetric string vacua which may be represented as Landau--Ginzburg theories with a quasihomogeneous potential which has an isolated singularity at the origin. There are at least three thousand distinct models in this class. All vacua of this type lead to Euler numbers which lie in the range $-960 \leq \chi \leq 960$. The Euler characteristics do not pair up completely hence the space of Landau--Ginzburg ground states is not mirror symmetric even though it exhibits a high degree of symmetry. We discuss in some detail the relation between Landau--Ginzburg models and Calabi--Yau manifolds and describe a subtlety regarding Landau--Ginzburg potentials with an arbitrary number of fields. We also show that the use of topological identities makes it possible to relate Landau-Ginzburg theories to types of Calabi-Yau manifolds for which the usual Landau-Ginzburg framework does not apply.Comment: 92p

Thiosemicarbazones active against Clostridium difficile

A set of closely related furylidene thiosemicarbazones was prepared and screened against various clinically important Gram-positive bacteria. One compound containing an ethylene spacer and a 5-nitrofuryl group was found to have promising activity against Clostridium difficile

Genotypic and pheno-metabolomic characterization of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain collection

The objective of the present work was to gain a deeper understanding of the phenotypic diversity of natural isolates of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, using high-throughput methods in combination with bioanalytical data. A S. cerevisiae strain collection was constituted comprising 187 strains from different geographical origins and technological uses. Some microsatellite alleles and phenotypes were identified as responsible for the highest strain variability. All strains were used for fermentation with white grapes must, and final fermentation products were analysed using fiber optics spectroscopy and bioanalytical quantification. Inter-strain aromatic profiles (primary fermentation products, higher alcohols, esters, fatty acids) were discriminated by HPLC and GC-MS. Relating the metabolic signature of the strains with phenotypic and genetic data by computational analysis is a pre-requisite to obtain a holistic overview of yeast pheno-metabolomics.O objectivo do presente trabalho consistiu em explorar a diversidade fenotípica de isolados naturais de Saccharomyces cerevisiae, através de métodos de alto débito combinados com dados bioanalíticos. Uma colecção de 187 estirpes de S. cerevisiae foi constituída com isolados de origens geográficas e aplicações tecnológicas diferentes. Alguns alelos de microssatélites e alguns fenótipos foram identificados como responsáveis pela grande variabilidade entre estirpes. Todas as estirpes foram usadas para fermentações em mosto de uvas brancas, e os produtos finais de fermentação foram analisados usando espectroscopia de fibra óptica e quantificação bioanalítica. Os perfis aromáticos entre estirpes (produtos de fermentação primários, álcoois superiores, esteres, ácidos gordos) foram descriminados por HPLC e GC-MS. A relação, através de abordagens computacionais, entre a assinatura metabólica das estirpes e os dados fenotípicos e genotípicos, é um pré-requisito para obter uma visão holística do feno-metaboloma da levedura.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) - SFRH/BD/48591/2008, SFRH/BD/46737/2008, SFRH/BD/48616/2008, SFRH/BD/74798/2010